The latest road safety statistics for Leeds show that the number of casualties during 2009 reached an all time low.

The total number of road casualties for 2009 was 3,057,which has reduced by 597 (16%) on the average for the last five years.

The number of casualties killed or seriously injured in Leeds has continued to fall during 2009 and the total is now below the 2010 target set by the Government.

The 2009 casualty total is the lowest so far recorded since the District was formed in 1974 and the downward casualty trend is continuing. Leeds has achieved the government’s target of a 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured by 2010 in four of the last five years.

Councillor Stuart Andrew deputy executive member for transport said:
“It is heartening to see these significant reductions to road casualties in Leeds. Road users are increasingly becoming aware of taking responsibility for their safety and the safety of others on the roads, and the Road Safety Promotion unit will continue to work with the Accident Studies Team and Traffic Engineering Team to develop strategies and measures to make road users aware of road dangers and further reduce death and injury on the roads in Leeds.”

The Road Safety Unit for Leeds has continued to provide education and training throughout the city, with campaigns such as ‘Seat Belt on’ in 2008/09, aimed at increasing seat belt use and reduce vehicle occupancy injury and death by raising awareness of the importance of seatbelt use.

The surveys conducted around Leeds had shown that 25% of adults and 35% of children were travelling without seat belts. So the council’s road safety unit flooded the city with messages reminding car drivers and passengers of the importance of putting their seatbelts on.

The unit will continue its work educating the city in road safety through a variety of upcoming campaigns to address the rise in young adult pedestrian casualties, and to maintain the impetus of the ‘Seat Belt On’ campaign’.